#1

The University of Oregon's softball team walked away with a convincing victory in the first game of the post season Friday. The Ducks defeated Utah Valley 12-1 at home in the NCAA Regional. The Ducks pitching staff struck out 11 of 18 batters they faced.

The Ducks entered the tournament ranked first in the nation. Before play began at the U of O's Howe Field, Head Coach Mike White said the ranking doesn't put any extra weight on the team's shoulders.

The University of Oregon softball team hit a milestone this week. For the first time in school history, they are the number one team in the country.

The top ranking comes after the Ducks won two in a three-game series against then-number-one UCLA. After the final game Sunday, senior utility player Kailee Cuico told Oregon Sports Network the series showed what the team could do.